Ruth E. S. Mabanglo’s “Ang Maging Babae” captures the frustrations of an oppressed identity. And in times like these –with an administration that boasts of crucifying the opposition, a legislature that’s scrambling to legalize discrimination, and a people that prefers alternative facts to reason– it is easy to replace “woman” with “Filipino”.

There is a long list of things to cry about. There are the small things –the culture of spitting in public, our casual disregard of pedestrian lanes, our morbid fascination with rags-to-riches love stories– and the bigger issues too, from our lack of efficient and humane public transportation, the corruption in our government, to the death of quality education and information.

It’s a reminder for any of the oppressed to keep fighting for the ownership of identity. As a Filipino, this means recognizing our obligations to both our ancestors, to ourselves and to our children. We have to keep the dream and spirit alive.

As both women and Filipinos, we need to shake off our learned cynism (or ignorance) in exchange for our own potential. While there’s not much in the world that inspires confidence, the responsibility to move the fight forward, and to keep the morale high, is on those of us who have the privilege to do so.